Inquiring Minds Want To Know [Toki/Hana]

Secretaries, mages, doctors, scientists, soldiers, spies, assassins... and cops. These were pretty much the jobs that made up the Gotei United. Only one of these jobs Hana could confidently do, and it was boring. If she was going to be part of a military force, she was going to learn to do something more than paperwork.

It was that desire that brought Hana to the Sixth Division. Having met Hono, she thought meeting more members might inspire her to transfer here. She needed a job that fit her, and maybe the cop Division was it. Upholding the laws of the Soul Society felt simple, and as long as you understood law, it wouldn't be confusing.

It'd also keep her in the fight too...

Most people seemed busy. She hoped to catch someone on a break or maybe pre-shift. Her attention fell on a man that seemed to be doing one of those things. This was her chance to ask a few questions! She jaunted over and tried getting his attention, keeping up a smile. "Excuse me. Are you currently available to talk? I don't mean to take up too much of your time. I just have a few Sixth Division questions."

All of the more highly ranked officers in the 6th Division were busy these days, and Toki was, naturally, no exception. More interviews, compiling everything from the surveillance footage and reporting it to his superiors in a timely manner. However, he was always a man of cool demeanor, relaxed and, he'd been told on occasion, even charming. Personally, he didn't think much about anything like that, but it did cross his mind as possibly one of the reasons he was suddenly being approached about the Sixth Division.

"Hm? Yes, I've got a few minutes to spare. What questions do you have?"

He was smart enough to write down most of his thoughts, and he made a habit of not focusing on anything serious when he was in a situation that might find him suddenly distracted. A situation like this, for example, where a girl he was fairly sure he recognized in passing was asking questions. He didn't mind.

Hana was less nervous than she expected to be. She never had an easy time approaching strangers, so she expected to feel like her heart was trying to escape her chest. It definitely helped that this man wasn't immediately glaring or rolling his eyes at her, and seemed at least willing to talk. There was a quick sigh of relief before she bowed politely, hands cupped in front of her.

"Thank you. I know your Division is very busy with current events, so I appreciate your time. I really only have a few questions. The first is what your job entails? What separates your Division's job from, lets say, Earth Affiliation, besides the difference of location, of course. I've always assumed the Realm Enforcement has a special class or test requirement to make sure each member can accurately uphold the laws of the Soul Society." Hana was genuine in her curiosity, and came off as such.

This seemed like the kind of question the Shino Academy handbook would have answered, or even just a cursory look into the records at the library. Well, not everyone thought to do that, so Toki wasn't going to belabor that particular point in his mind. He was a little surprised at the mental image she seemed to have created around the division, though.

"No, we don't have something like that. Like in any division, unseated members aren't expected to have a full grasp on the legal system or to be able to interpret the law. Obviously we only bring in those shinigami who display an aptitude and ability to follow those laws, though, and I personally think that we have one of the divisions with the highest expectations of our members."

That seemed straightforward enough, though really, he could hardly say for sure. Toki did take pride in his work, and in those beneath him, so he naturally spoke highly of them.

"As for what separates us from the other divisions, it's a matter of mission. We're expected to be able to handle the other shinigami, both in the Gotei and outside it, so in a sense there's some need to be well-rounded in all respects, and to be able to operate independently if something goes wrong."

Hana's second impression of the members in this Division conjured a smile. Hono was simply lovely to talk to and her excitable nature inspired Hana. Now, this man was just answering her questions! No insults or glares. Simple answers. She was surprised there was no special training, though that was likely something she read out of one of her old books. She really needed to remember reality sometimes.

The answer that caused a drop of hesitation was about doing something independently if things went wrong. Did you not always have a partner? Was that kind of things reserved for the more experienced? What about calling for backup? That created too many more questions, and since she promised not to waste too much of his time, Hana forced herself to refrain from asking more.

"I see. Okay." Hana said, though her tone hinting at some sense of worry. Still, she moved on. "Well, my next question is on whether or not you find your job fulfilling. Is it something you can see yourself doing for years to come? Do you feel like your making a diff-... Sorry, too many questions. Just, do you find your job fulfilling?"

"Fulfilling? Absolutely. It's a rewarding job to maintain the peace, though I wouldn't imagine it's for everyone. Hours are long, people may not always appreciate it, and failure on the job means potentially letting down the whole of the Seireitei."

Toki always knew that, of course. He, probably more than many in the Gotei, always bore it in mind just how severe a breach in security could be. His voice had grown just a touch more intense on that point, not necessarily louder or more aggressive, simply more severe in its tone.

"I, personally, wouldn't choose to do anything else in the Gotei than this."

Hana would have to think about those things. She did not care about the appreciation too much, but a thank you would be nice sometimes. And she did not have a good track record with failing, but she couldn't stay the way she was in the long run. Hana's last question would get her to her answer, except...

Hana did not consider herself the most observant woman, but she did notice how people talked to her a lot more now that she wasn't under her parents' thumbs. His tone changed, and it made her curious. She didn't think she had said anything wrong. With a curious tilt of her head, Hana asked an unplanned question!

"Are you okay? Your tone sorta... darkened."

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry."

Toki's expression grew a apologetic, offering a sorry smile as he gave a short bow. It wasn't any secret why he worked like he did, after all, and most people who knew anything about Toki knew about his past. But, not everyone did know him, and it was something he had to occasionally remind himself, that not everyone was so involved in reading through records and the like.

"My mother was a victim of the worst security breach in Gotei history, a century ago. I'm dedicated to making sure nothing like that happens again."

Hana's mind rushed through a few different questions. Who was this guy? Who was his mother? What security breach in specific? She tried thinking of the worst ones, and there were quite a few in the last century, from demonic influence to the start of Soul Society's hell with Aizen. Damn it, now she wanted to knoooow...

'No, self control, Hana. Use it.'

"I'm sorry your mother had to deal with something like that," Hana said, sighing. "I admit you've piqued my curiosity. However, it is none of my business, so I will leave it at thank you for working hard to prevent future problems like that. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to join you soon. Until then, my final question... How supportive would you say your fellow Division members are? Can you rely on them?"

"Thank you. She was hardly alone in dealing with that, though I don't think many would argue she wasn't one of the people more impacted by it."

That, naturally, included his presence here, though considering she wasn't asking further, Toki was not hugely inclined to simply spill on the matter. Her last question felt odd to him, so he thought about it for a moment or two.

"Define 'supportive.' I'd trust most of my fellow seated officers with anything when it comes to the job. But I wouldn't say we have the kind of camaraderie you see in a division like the 1st or the 7th. If I needed something professionally, I know they'd have me without a complaint, but I wouldn't go to them for something personal. I don't think that's a problem with them, it just isn't how we run things."

That sounded about right. Most people might think he was complaining about his division, but that was how he liked it. It was work, not a social gathering.